Warning Labels
by TappinCastlefan
Summary: You know, some things really should come with a warning. Just a short one-shot based on my own stupidity.


**Just a one-shot inspired by my own stupidity! It just demanded to be written! **

**I don't own anything.**

**Enjoy!**

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There should be a warning label, Kate Beckett decided, on flat irons. You know, aside from your standard "do not use in or around water" bit. For god sake there was a caution against ironing your clothes while they were on your body, why not for things like this?

And it was all Esposito's fault anyway. Well, not his directly, he wasn't the one who hung the guy by a ceiling fan. But he was the one who called her about it at four in the morning.

On top of the early call, she had literally crashed into her bed after closing their last case - at midnight. Didn't even get undressed. So now, she had about twenty minutes before she had to meet the boys at the scene.

Somewhere in the back of her mind it had seemed like a good idea to listen to music while she got ready, it always helped her zone out before working - too bad she hadn't replaced her stereo yet. She had the cord of her headphones safely pulled to the side in her left hand as she straightened her lower layers with her right. Unfortunately, her fingers got a little too close, and, no thanks to the lighting in her tiny bathroom, she skimmed the tops of her fingers with the iron.

Cursing herself, Kate stood over her bathroom sink with the water running. Yes, there should be a label telling you not to use the flat iron and headphones at the same time. After all, a person only had two hands.

Quickly she bandaged up the ring and middle fingers on her left hand, got dressed, and made a mad dash for her car. In a record time of seven minutes she made it to the apartment building, and made a quick scan of the room before she walked in. Sure enough, there was a body hanging from the pull-cord of a ceiling fan, just as she was told, Lanie was trying as best she could to examine it as the laws of physics made it turn slightly, and the boys had their gloves on and were searching for evidence. Castle, oddly enough, was nowhere in sight.

"Hey Beckett! Isn't that so cool?" Castle breezed into the room. Frantically, she gripped her notebook in her right arm and shoved her bandaged hand into the pocket of her green leather coat.

"Yea Castle. Dead bodies just make my day." She rolled her eyes at his smiling face and walked past him.

"Oh," he skipped a step and reached out to her with a cup of coffee in hand, "here.

Kate's eyes widened at the cup. God, she could really use that coffee. Her eyes jumped down to the hand holding her book, and then the one in her pocket. Surely he would say something. Thinking quickly she wedged her notebook underneath her left arm, and reached out.

If only Castle had had better hand-eye coordination.

Their hands were mere centimeters apart when he lost his balance. The cup flew out of his hand and into the air, before coming to a final crash on the wood floor.

The two stood staring at each other, mouths gaping.

"Why Beckett, what did you do to your fingers?"

Kate hadn't realized it, but her hands flew into the air in surprise. Great, she thought, now she was going to have to tell him.

"Well, I…kind of had a little mishap this morning. No big deal Castle." Fighting back her frustration she stormed in to the apartment's kitchen to find something to clean with.

"Mishap? What kind of mishap?" He had followed her in, and stood dangerously close to her ear.

"Look, Castle," she said, slamming a wad of paper towels on the counter, "I was using my flat iron, and grazed my hand, okay? Now can you please clean up so I can deal with our murder?" She shoved the towels into his chest and began to stop out. She had just reached the door when he decided to cut in front of her, leaning against the frame with his 'cool-guy' stance, trademark smirk on his face.

"Now, now. You didn't have to get all dolled up for me? I like it when you let your hair air dry. And you know that wave you get? It's so very…alluring."

Disregarding restraint she slapped him in the arm before turning back to the scene.

"Oww! That one really hurt!"

"Yea, well, there should be a warning label on your mouth – any and all remarks may result in pain."

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**So, yes, I did actually burn my fingers because I had my headphones in while I straightened my hair. Let it serve as a caution to you. **

**Reviews are greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading!**


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